Ramasawmy, S., Fort, I. & Gilles, P.-Y. THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL VALIDITIES OF THE DEPRESSION ANXIETY STRESS SCALES (DASS-21) IN A MAURITIAN ADOLESCENT SAMPLE Ramasawmy, S., Fort, I. & Gilles, P.-Y. Centre PsyCLÉ (EA 3273)

DASS-21 Objectives To examine the psychometric properties of the French version of the DASS-21 in a Mauritian student population. Investigating the psychometric properties (reliability and factor structure) Testing divergent and convergent validities of the 3 scales namely depression, anxiety, and the stress. Each scale consists of 7 items. The DASS -21 A 21-item questionnaire translated in many languages with excellent psychometric properties in adults Considering its brevity, widely used in clinical settings internationally.

1186 adolescent students (385 boys); mean age 14.3 years DASS-21 Method 1186 adolescent students (385 boys); mean age 14.3 years Participants responded to four self-report measures: Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scales (RCMAS) Multiscore Depression Inventory for Children (MDI-C) Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). Results Exploratory Factor Analyses 3 factors accounting for 43.2% of the total variance Oblique rotation yielded three correlated factors that reproduced the DASS-21 scales, depression, anxiety, stress. r (depression-anxiety) = 0.63* r (depression-stress) = 0.71* r (anxiety-stress) = 0.67* * p< .01

DASS-21 Results Reliability Internal consistency, Cronbach’s alpha : depression (.78), anxiety (.71), stress (.77) Confirmatory Factor Analysis The model corresponding to the original three correlated factors fit the data well (χ2 =345.7, df 184; CFI = .94; RMSEA = .042; SRMR = .039) Convergent & divergent validity The DASS-21 was found to possess satisfactory concurrent validity as moderate positive correlations were obtained with the other measures of depression and anxiety. The divergent validity was established as negative correlations were obtained between the DASS-21 scales and theoretically different constructs on other measures

Factor loadings above 0.30 using Promax (oblique) rotation SCALE Factor loadings 1 2 3 DEPRESSION couldn't experience positive [Q3] - 0.69 difficult work up initiative [Q5] 0.37 nothing look forward [Q10] 0.79 downhearted and blue [Q13] 0.58 unable become enthusiastic [Q16] 0.72 not worth much as person [Q17] 0.60 life meaningless [Q21] 0.50 0.35 ANXIETY dryness of mouth [Q2] 0.55 breathing difficulty [Q4] 0.80 trembling [Q7] 0.63 worried situations panic [Q9] 0.83 close to panic [Q15] 0.46 aware action heart [Q19] 0.54 scared no good reason [Q20] STRESS hard to wind down [Q1] 0.62 over-react to situations [Q6] 0.36 using nervous energy [Q8] 0.53 getting agitated [Q11] difficult to relax [Q12] intolerant kept doing [Q14] rather touchy [Q18]

Conclusion References DASS-21 Conclusion The DASS-21 has satisfactory structural and concurrent validity. The internal consistency is also satisfactory Future research will focus on cognitive processes involved in depression and anxiety References Lovibond, S. H., & Lovibond, P. F. (1995). Manual for the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS). Sydney: Psychology Foundation Monograph. Lovibond, P. F. (1998). Long-term stability of depression, anxiety, and stress syndromes. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 107, 520-526.